Railway-spike lock



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

E. G. WINTERS.

RAILWAY SPIKE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 23, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented February 9, I904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELHANAN O. WINTERS, OF ROOKFALLS, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-SPIKE LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,767, dated February9, 1904.

Application filed October 23, 1903. Serial No. 178,260- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ELHANAN O. Wnvrnns, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Rockfalls, in the county of WVhiteside and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Spike Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for retaining a railway-spike in placeafter it has been driven into the sleeper, and aims to provide a moresimple means for that purpose than is now in use. 1

Primarily my device comprises a spike holder or look, a pair of platesextending therefrom beneath the rail, and a plate integral with the lockadapted to engage the sleeper to prevent movement of the look away fromthe rail, the construction being such that no bolts, screws, or othermeans outside of the device itself are required to secure it in place.

Another advantage lies in the fact that my invention can be stamped froma piece of sheet metal and easily bent into the proper form, whereby thecost of manufacture is reduced to a minimum.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a rail and sleeper,showing one of my devices on each side of the rail, one thereof being insection. Fig. 2 is a plan View of my device before the rear plate isbent into contact with the sleeper. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of one ofthe locks withthe spike in position therein. Fig. 4 is a plan view of mydevice as it appears when out from a piece of metal before beingproperly formed. Fig. 5 shows a modification of my device in sideelevation.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the rail, 2 the sleeper, and 3 3 the usual spikes forsecuring the rail in place. Covering the head of the spike is an arch 4,integral with the lower edges of which are two plates 5 5, adapted to bedriven beneath the rail on each side of the spike until the arch comesin contact with the rail. Projecting rearwardly from the upper part ofthe arch 4: is a plate 6, provided with points or teeth 7 When the lockis in position, this plate is bent downward until the teeth are forcedinto the sleeper, whereby movement of the lock'away from the rail isprevented. In this position the plate 6 also partially closes the arch 4in rear of the head of the spike and prevents a backward movement of thespike from the rail.

When the lock is in place, the weight of the rail on the plates 5 tendsto hold the arch 4: against the head of the spike and prevents theraising thereof, and the relation of the parts is not affected by thetendency of the rail to sink into the ties. This sinking of the railinto the sleeper, which frequently occurs, only serves to more securelyengage the plate 6 with the sleeper.

The upward tendency of the spike is not sufficiently strong to require alock of heavy construction, and my device can therefore be formed ofsheet metal, as already mentioned. In the manufacture thereof it isfirst stamped out by means of proper dies into the form shown in Fig. 4,after which it is bent at the dotted lines into the desired shape, orthe stamping and bending may be performed in one operation.

When it is desired to replace one of the sleepers, the lock can bereadily removed by bending the plate 6 upward out of engagement with thesleeper and replacing it when the new tie is in position with the railspiked thereto.

Vhen in use, my invention serves the further purpose of reinforcing thespike in preventing a lateral movement or spreading of the rail. This isfrequently caused by a movement of the spike in the wood lengthwise ofthe sleeper; but it will be seen that in my invention the arch is incontact with the rail and is held in such position by the plate 6. Inaddition to this the spike is also held in contact with the rail byreason of the head of the spike being supported in the rear by saidplate 6.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of my clevice wherein a tongue 8 isprojected forwardly from the arch 4 and clenched downwardly over thehead of the spike 3. In this construction a small part only of the plate6 is used, such part being bent downwardly in rear of the head of thespike.

It is apparent that, as has been already suggested, my device is adaptedto be secured in position without the aid of any screw, bolt, or othermeans of fastening aside from that contained in itself, which fact addsgreatly to its, simplicity and low cost of production as comedges ofsuch arch, and plate 6, integral with the upper part of the arch 4:,adapted to engage the sleeper in rear of such arch, substantially asshown.

.,2, ,Ina railway-spike lock, the combination of the arch 4, plates 5,integral therewith, tongue 8, projecting forwardly from said arch, andadapted to engage the head of the spike, and the plate 6, extending fromthe rear of saidarch to engage the head of the spike, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in 3 presence of twowitnesses.

ELHANAN C. WINTERS.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. BREEDING, IRVING L. WEAVER.

